Letters

After Scottish referendum - we need to unite against austerity

The independence referendum in Scotland produced a grassroots movement for change—it was, and still is, about campaigning for social justice.

Many Yes voters were grieving after the result and looking for direction, and the Hope Over Fear rally in Glasgow provided that. More and more No voters feel betrayed and angry, particularly at the Labour Party.

The “vow” of more powers looks increasingly hollow, Scotland’s budget is to be cut and the banks who argued independence would threaten jobs are now axing thousands of them.

I’ve always voted Scottish National Party (SNP)—I believe in self determination—but I’m a socialist. In Scotland there is a debate about the elections and what we do. The SNP is not a left party but I think has some left policies.

We need an alliance of the pro independence parties to come together around a common platform for the general election. To get a left movement able to stand in time will be difficult but it is worth fighting for.

But no matter what, we have to continue to build where we are and get organised in our communities. People need to realise their own power and oppose the divide and rule from the top.

This lot think they have the right to rule over us. They try and divide us by attacking immigrants—refusing to rescue the refugees drowning at sea is a damned disgrace. We should help people.

And they attack “benefit cheats” but what about their tax dodging? If the government collected the tax there would be no need for any cuts.

We need to join together, north and south of the border we are facing the same things.

Wherever we are we should fight their austerity. It’s time for the left to put their differences aside—it’s too fragmented and it needs to unite.

If we can build a people’s movement in Scotland and unite so many different people then the parties can do it too.

Sharon Anderson, Lanarkshire

Social, not biological, reasons for drug use

Lib Dem minister Norman Baker claims drugs should be treated as a health issue, while David Cameron said he did not believe in decriminalisation.

Socialists should support decriminalisation, as laws tend to be used only against poor working class drug users and low level dealers. The rich are able to use cocaine, for example, with very little chance of being prosecuted.

Drug addiction is not caused by biological factors but social ones, namely alienation.

Psychoactive substances have been used as long as humans have been around.

But capitalism distorts this relationship with nature, creating a need to escape reality more often while turning the means of our escape into a commodity to be sold back to us.

Joe Redmond, Cardiff

The market exacerbates Africa's Ebola crisis

In his article on Ebola (Socialist Worker, 18 October) Ken Olende mentions that Africa remains a net creditor to the rest of the world.

More should be made of this important point.

Africa is often seen as a net debtor but in fact its foreign assets are larger than its debts.